California, in spite of Reckless Kelly’s song reproduced below, has set national trends for quite some time now.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s latest executive order, which will reduce state employees’ wages to $6.55 per hour indefinitely, appears to be trying to capitalize on that history.
How was California?
Did they teach you how to surf?
Was it everything they said it was?
Was it all that you deserved?
(Chorus)
Did you hate the Golden state?
Was it hollow just like you?
Just like every place you go
Californias got the blues
How was Austin, Texas?
Did they greet you with a smile?
Did you ride the pretty horses?
Did you feel like you could stay awhile?
(Chorus)
Did you hate the Lone Star state?
Was it lonely just like you?
Just like every place you go
Austin, Texas has the blues
How was New York City?
Did you take a stroll in Central Park?
Was there always something going on?
Did you feel safe after dark?
(Chorus)
Did you hate the Empire state?
Was it miserable like you?
Just like every place you go
New York Citys got the blues
Front page
Not our first rodeo
but swell of you to be concerned. Remind me sometime to thank y’all for T. Boone Pickens, mighty fine of you to share.
This budget posturing is standard political fare for this time of year. According to that article, we have only managed to pass an on-time budget in 12 out of the last 30 years. That seems high to me, but maybe I only remember the painful ones.
Every time, the legislature blames the governor and the governor blames the legislature. For most of us, it is a “whatever” response and we just keep on truckin’ until they sort it out.
Ahnold ran for Governor the first time promising to fix the state budget process and sort out the economy by cutting taxes and trimming the “fat” and “waste” blah blah standard Republican tripe blah blah blah. Five years on and here we are, everything just as bad as it was then plus a huge addition to the public debt thanks to Ahnold’s bright idea to borrow our way out of the 2003/4 cash flow crises.
There have always been tough decisions to make here in the Golden State. We hire people to deal with the petty stuff like this budget nonsense, and save ourselves for the big questions:
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:) Welll ... at least Arnold ain't been burnt out of his house
in Sacramento yet.
What makes you think T. Boone Pickens is *my* fault? Although I will admit, like with the Bush clan, sometimes it’s better to EXPORT things, instead of IMPORT them.
He’s only trying to steal all the water out of the acquifer, and tearin’ up every road in Texas with his giant windmills. You’d think he’d ship ’em by rail, but nooooooooooooo.
Snakebit, he was in 1987. Snakebit, he is today. Snakebit, damn near every project he gets hold of winds up.
We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! Knowing that we’re not going to kill today! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
There's a Budget Crisis in California?
Must be Wednesday.
I’ve been out here less than a decade and I don’t pay any attention anymore. One year the State is drowning in money and the next it’s broke. The revenue system is fucked up and, as a result, unstable.
But who can worry about such things when you have perfect weather, beaches, mountains, and dozens of non-stop flights every day to Hawaii.